


The Monster's Fated One

by tabemonohime



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alpha Tendou Satori, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Attempted Sexual Assault, Bullying, F/M, Gossip, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Omega Reader, Possessive Behavior, Protectiveness, manager-chan, mi-ra-cle boi, more appreciation for tendou
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:14:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23801416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabemonohime/pseuds/tabemonohime
Summary: Tendou Satori has always been called demon, yokai, monster, devil, and more. On and off the court. He's grown numb to it. As an alpha, of course he wants to find his so-called fated mate and be together with them, but would anyone even accept him?He hears the words whispered behind his back."Eww...imagine being mates with Tendou...he's so weird. I can never tell what he's thinking." "I know right...ha! He probably doesn't even have one anyway."He's fine. He doesn't need one. He's done well all these years without one.Then you show up.
Relationships: Tendou Satori/Reader
Comments: 19
Kudos: 468





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> honestly, I haven't wrote in so long, my brain is dead. 
> 
> i just noticed the lack of Tendou fics and my boi needs some love too
> 
> so enjoy
> 
> haha

You woke up with a new kind of vigour, barely getting enough sleep because you were too excited last night. It's your first day of high school, and you were going somewhere completely new. Your parents had moved from Tokyo to Miyagi over the summer, so you didn't know anyone well.

"(y/n), you better be quick today or you might be late for school. We don't want you getting lost again, do we?"

"Okay, okay, mom..."

You had gotten lost a few days ago while trying to find the convenience store. From when you were younger till now, you had always had a bad sense of direction, getting lost frequently. Even in Tokyo, where you had lived for 15 years, you still got lost at times. Although, thanks to getting lost, you were able to make a new friend. 

His name was Shirabu, a fellow omega, and apparently he was your senpai at the school you were transferring to. 

You were glad to be able to know someone before you went to the school, even better, they were an omega. Shirabu, although a bit tsundere, told you about Shiratorizawa and about the dynamics that went on in there. In Tokyo, they were a bit more free, so there weren't many restrictions and not much harassment about people's second genders. Shirabu told you that although the majority of the population at Shiratorizawa were indeed Alpha, there wasn't any discrimination because the principal believed in equality, which of course, was a good thing for you. 

After eating a quick breakfast, you set out for school.

"Mom, I'm gonna go now! I'll probably be back early today!" You called back into the house.

"Okay, be careful honey. Did you remember your scent blocker?" 

"Yeah, mom. I'm not that clumsy okay?" You laughed as you checked your bag again.

\------------------------------

The opening ceremony could only be described as...intense.

The whole school was gathered inside the auditorium. 

As the principal spoke, there wasn't a single ounce of sound. 

As the student representative spoke, there wasn't a single ounce of sound...

Basically Shiratorizawa was a very disciplined school. 

After the ceremony, you headed to your homeroom. 

Sitting down, you wondered if you were going to sit next to someone loud or quiet...you weren't the best at making friends, but you were decent enough. Whether they were alpha or omega or beta didn't matter either. You were sure this school didn't segregate people just because of their secondary gender. As an omega, the world was indeed a harsh place, but you believed strongly that a person's secondary gender didn't determine their worth. People weren't just better because they were alphas, betas shouldn't be ignored and labeled as "the masses", and omegas were not simply baby birthing machines for alphas to take. 

Whilst thinking all of that, you didn't notice a person stiffly take the seat next to you. 

"H-h-h-hello! My name is Goshiki T-t-Tsutomu! And I will b-be in your care!" he stuttered. 

Raising your eyebrows, you smiled and answered, "Hello! My name is (l/n), (y/n). Nice to meet you, Goshiki-kun."

The blushing boy turned a deeper shade of red as he nodded and stiffly turned back to the front. 

Was he not good with people of the opposite gender? That was cute. You turned your body towards him as you tried to make conversation before class officially started. 

"Hey, Goshiki-kun, so what do you like to do? We're gonna be desk buddies, so we might as well start to get to know each other." you smiled again slightly.

He brightened at the question, "OH! OK! Uh...I really like playing volleyball! That's the reason I came to this school. Their third-year ace, Ushijima-senpai is the coolest person I've ever seen!"

You were relieved at his enthusiastic reply, at least it wasn't going to be awkward between the both of you. 

\----------------------------

"Hi, my name is (l/n), (y/n), and I just moved here from Tokyo. I hope we'll all get along!" you introduced yourself in a way you hoped wasn't awkward or weird in some way. 

Thankfully throughout the day, class moved quite smoothly and you found yourself becoming friends with Goshiki. He wasn't a bad person, just awkward at times. As he slowly warmed up to you, he also got more talkative and energetic. 

"(l/n)-san, what club are you going to join??" he asked.

"Hmm..." you mused, you hadn't really thought of it at that point, "I"m not sure, for sports, I'm more of a watcher, so maybe a liberal arts club? Something like calligraphy or chorus."

You then said, "Goshiki, I guess you're joining the volleyball club right?"

He nodded, "That's only if I get in though! But, I'm sure I can make it!"

You chuckled at his determination and packed your bags. It was the last class, and you were going to walk around the school to see which club you wanted to join.

\---------------------------

You were screwed. 

You had walked an entire circle around the campus of Shiratorizawa, and you were currently lost. 

Standing next to a field of grass, you had no idea where you were, or even remotely how to get back to the main campus. 

You wish you had taken Goshiki with you, or at least made another friend to go around with. Why did your bad sense of direction have to come out now?

As you stood there, sighing and trying to recall at least something, you didn't notice a presence slowly coming up from behind you. 

"(l/n)-san? Is that you?" a voice hesitantly said. 

Whipping around, you saw a familiar mop of light brown hair and laughed lightly.

"Shirabu-senpai! Why is it that you always find me when I'm lost?" you chuckled, relieved that you weren't alone.

The omega sighed with resignation and said, "This is the outer parts of the campus, how in the world did you end up here? I'm only here because the storage room for the extra floor polish is this far." 

"I guess my sense of direction is just really bad?" you answered, feeling slightly guilty. 

"Come on, I'll take you back."

As the both of you made your way back, he made some small talk.

"So, how was your first day here? Anything happen?" he asked. 

"Nothing much...I made a friend though! He said he wants to join the volleyball team here. Are they good?"

Shirabu raised a brow, "Are they good? We're basically the best in Miyagi. By the way, I'm in the volleyball team too."

You were surprised, "Really? Woah, weird coincidence. His name is Goshiki, maybe you saw him?"

A weird look appeared on Shirabu's face, "Ohh...that kid. Well, he'll probably make it, but he's just kinda..."

"Overly enthusiastic?"

"Yeah."

"Anyway," he continued, "Since you're here, wanna drop by the volleyball gym? We have an opening for a manager this year. Actually...it's more like we really need a manager this year."

Raising your eyebrows, "Why?" you asked.

"The team is mainly alphas, and they're all pretty intimidating, so people are kinda scared of us. Even the alphas tend to stay away. The truth is that everyone's a dork though." he replied. 

Giving it some thought, you decided "Why not?" and followed Shirabu back to the gym, maybe you'd see Goshiki. 

\--------------------------

What you saw when you got there surprised you. 

Loud slams echoed throughout the gym constantly. The smell of pheromones was slightly more concentrated than the area outside. You, usually content with being just slightly below average height, felt like a dwarf here. 

Like a literal dwarf. Is this what normally really short people felt like?

Glancing around, you followed Shirabu and went to the side of the court to watch. 

"Have you ever played volleyball before, (l/n)-san?" he asked. 

You nodded, "I used to play libero in middle school, but I stopped after moving here."

He looked surprised, "Well, there isn't much to see, just normal practice today. We'll have introductions for the new first years in a bit. If you want to try being manager, you can observe practice from here today." After saying that, he waved and went back onto the court. 

You decided you had nothing better to do, so you just stood on the side, leaning against the wall. 

"(l/n)-san? Why are you here?" a voice stopped you from zoning out.

Lifting your head, "Oh! Goshiki-kun, I just kinda got lost when looking around for the clubs and Shirabu-senpai found me. He asked me if I wanted to be manager since the team needed one, so I just came to see. Nothing definite." you replied. 

"You know Shirabu-senpai???? How?" Goshiki was surprised.

"I just got lost the other day, and he found me...kinda dumb right, hehe.."

"You must have a really bad sense of direction, huh..." 

Someone yelled Goshiki's name, so he quickly said goodbye and went back to the court. You watched as someone set him a ball, wondering what kind of spike he would hit. 

*slam* A super clean straight, huh...kind of fits him perfectly in a way. 

Looking around the rest of the gym, your eyes land on different people, a super buff spiker who has killer power slams a ball into the ground, Shirabu is setting to two lines of people continuously, a guy with thick eyebrows hits a nasty cut shot. But the person who caught your attention the most was a tall guy with red hair, currently practicing serves with a guy with light blonde hair. 

I wonder what position he plays?

\----------------------------

"Shirabu-chaaaan, who's that girl you brought with you? Your girlfriend??" Tendou asked, while practicing receives.

"Tendou-senpai, she's a first year who I recently met. Apparently she has a horrible sense of direction. Both times I met her, she was wandering around somewhere, so I just brought her back here to see if she's interested in becoming our manager. Since everyone else is apparently too intimidated by our team." Shirabu explained. 

"Whaaaat?? That's so funny, Shirabu-channn. Hmm...could she even do it? She's so small, one of us could probably lift her up with one hand yanno..." Tendou thought aloud. 

"Senpai, please focus on practicing receives. We have to welcome the new first years in a bit." Shirabu grumbled. Semi grunted in agreement. 

"Yeh, yeh..." Tendou mumbled, finally taking his eyes off the cute girl standing in the corner. 

"Gather round." a thunderous voice sounded. 

"It is time for introduction." 

You looked up, it was the super buff spiker. 

The first years all gathered into a straight line. Goshiki was there too. You gave a small wave and smile and he turned red. 

"My name is G-goshiki Tsutomu. I'm a wing spiker. My goal is to be the ace!" he spoke loudly, blushing over the stutter. 

You chuckled at how nervous he was, not really listening to the other first year introductions.

Suddenly, you saw a movement. Shirabu was gesturing towards you. 

A little surprised, you made your way to where the team was standing, taking your place next to Shirabu, as you didn't know any of the others. 

"Everyone, this is (l/n), (y/n), and she's one of our potential managers this year. It isn't definite yet, so don't get your hopes up." he said in a monotone voice. 

With everyone's eyes on you, you were so nervous your gaze was fixed to a plank on the ground. No matter what, it still was a team of mainly alphas. 

"H-hello." you managed to squeak out, "I used to play volleyball in middle school as a libero so I know the basics, so I'll see if this position is suitable for me. T-thank you."

A small round of applause was heard and you wondered, was it really that hard for them to have a manager that they would need to actively try to find one?

Well, you would just have to see.


	2. First Interactions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader-chan and Tendou's first interactions hehe.

The team was getting ready for extra practice when you remembered that you promised your mom to come home early. Extra practice would last to until 6 or 7 and you couldn't afford to be that late. 

"Shirabu-san, I"m sorry, but I have to be home early today. Is it okay if I come back tomorrow?" you asked hesitantly. You weren't sure what the manager was supposed to do.

"Yeah, of course. If you want, you can come for morning practice tomorrow. A few of the guys will probably be here." he answered. 

You smiled and said your goodbyes, heading home while wondering if you really wanted to be a manager.

"Hey, mom! I'm home!" you called as you stepped into the house. Your parents worked from home, which meant that they were always there for you. Your mother was an omega who met your alpha father in college. They had fallen in love and gotten married, even working in a similar profession. To you, this was truly a story of true love. 

"So, how was your first day at school? You like it?" they both asked in unison. 

You laughed and told them all about it, from meeting Goshiki to getting lost to maybe becoming the manager to the boys team. 

That night, you thought about what you should do the next morning. Should you go to the morning practice? Did you really want to become the manager? What if you just dragged them down? Suddenly, your parents called for you. "Coming!" You shouted down the stairs as you got your slippers and walked down.

Turns out it was the girls from next door. They wanted to welcome you into the neighbourhood. They were both in high school, just like you, so you invited them in and went up to your room. 

"My name is (l/n), (y/n), you can just call me (y/n)." you said.

"M-my name is Yachi HItoka, and this is Kiyoko Shimizu-san. I'm a first year and she's a third year. You can call me Hitoka as well!" the smaller blonde girl said. 

"You can call me Kiyoko. We go to Karasuno, a school a bit farther from here." the taller girl explained. 

"Oh! I go to Shiratorizawa. I just moved here with my parents so I don't know a lot of people, so I hope we can be friends!" you replied with a smile. 

The three of you started talking about school and other random things, but the topic took a unexpected turn. 

"So, what kind of clubs are you guys into?" you asked.

"Oh, we're both the managers for the Karasuno volleyball team! I just joined this year, so we're both helping out together." Yachi said.

"Woah! Shiratorizawa's setter asked if I would be their manager too! That's such a weird coincidence haha. I used to play libero in middle school, so I know the basics I guess."

"Ooh, you should totally join, their team is so good. We just got some new first years, so we're trying to improve the team as well. If they go to tournaments, we might even see each other!"

"Can I ask what a manager usually does?"

"Of course, they usually get the balls ready, inflate them if they're leaking, get water bottles ready for the team so they can drink after practice, help clean up, organize, etc. That sort of thing." Kiyoko explained in a clear and concise manner. It seems like she has a lot of experience. 

You thought about that, it doesn't sound that bad. Maybe you should take a chance. 

"Hmm...I've been wondering if I should accept the offer. It is a really alpha heavy sport. Most of the team are alphas too. Apparently they seem really intimidating, so that's why no one wants to be their manager." you told the other two.

Hitoka suddenly looked nauseous, "Eep! Yeah, the Shiratorizawa team does feel really intimidating. They've got the power and the height. The pressure must feel crazy!" 

Kiyoko laughed and said, "I think you should just give it a try. It's doesn't hurt to give something a try."

You nodded, "Okay! Also, what time would morning practice be? Shirabu said I could go see if I wanted."

"Oh, that's usually before school starts. I imagine it would be pretty early."

Oh crap...you thought. 

\--------------------------

The next day, you dragged yourself out the bed, waking up earlier than you ever thought you would. Grabbing an apple, you made your way out the door quietly after leaving a note telling your parents you were going to school. You laughed to yourself as you thought of what their reactions to you getting up early would be. Probably shocked or they would think you were sick or something. You were the type to not get out of bed even after being shaken 10 times. 

It was slightly chilly in the morning, and you held your arms around yourself as you made your way towards the gym. 

Halfway there, you wondered. Where was the gym again?

There were two paths in front of you and you had no idea which one was the right one. 

As you were debated whether to wait for Shirabu or Goshiki or just to risk getting lost, you heard loud footsteps behind you and a whistling sound. Was someone making their way over here?

"Hmmm???? What is this?" a loud voice resounded through the hallway, making you jump in surprise. 

"Little potential manager-chan...what are you doing here so early? It's only morning practice yanno." 

It was the guy who caught your eye the previous day. Between you and him, there was a height difference of almost 30 cm, meaning he was looming over you while you had to tilt your head up to meet his eyes. 

"Uh...Sh-Shirabu-senpai said I could come to watch morning practice...so I came...is that okay?" you whispered out, your voice almost not reaching his ears.

"Oh of course it's okay (l/n)-channn...I'm Tendou Satori, resident mi-ra-cle boiiiii, and you can call me Tendou."

"Ok! Tendou-senpai."

"Soooo, whatcha doing just standing here? Eating an apple?" he suddenly asked.

"Oh! I couldn't remember which way the gym was so I was..." you trailed off, realising how dumb you sounded. How could you not remember when you just went there yesterday?

He laughed and said, "It's this way, little one!" and ushered you towards the left side. 

Tendou laughed to himself as the new potential manager-chan trailed behind him, looking embarrassed that she had forgotten how to get to the gym. She really was bad with directions. There was also an unusual smell coming from her. He wondered what it was. Was it okay to ask?

"(l/n)-chan, you might want to put on some more scent blocker if you don't want your smell to get out." he phrased it as delicately as he could.

The girl looked surprised and realised that she forgot to put scent blocker on because no one reminded her. 

"Thank you, Tendou-senpai...I totally forgot about it, hehe..." 

You smacked yourself inwardly, how could you forget? Sports teams were always full of alphas, maybe with the exception of swimming or tennis. Forgetting to put on scent blocker was something that could be lethal. No matter where you went in the world, there were always going to be unsavoury alphas. Thank god senpai wasn't one of them. 

Tendou was puzzled. Why did she smell so good? No other omega had smelled so good to him before. He wondered if he was going crazy. 

\-----------------------------

Everyone in the gym looked puzzled when Tendou and the potential manager walked in together. It was an unlikely pair. Tendou went to the locker room to get change while you walked over to the bench and put your stuff down. Remembering Tendou's reminder that you hadn't put your scent blocker on yet, you quickly ran to the bathroom to put it on.

While you were in the bathroom, Tendou came out changed and was immediately surrounded by the rest of the team. 

"Tendou, would you share why you came with our new potential manager today?" Ushijima asked.

"Senpai, you better not have scared her away...do you know how hard it is to find someone who will even consider being our manager?" Shirabu sighed as he said this.

"Tendou, maybe it is best you restrain your rather boisterous personality for a while before she settles in." Reon added.

"You idiot! Did you say anything weird to her?" Semi asked.

"Did you know (l/n)-san before?" Goshiki asked.

"Woah, woah, woah, guys...calm down. Nothing happened! I was perfectly normal! I didn't do anything weird..." Tendou was shocked by these accusations. Did they think he would try to pull something with their new potential manager?

All the players gave a collective sigh of relief. 

"Hmm...there is something weird though...she smelled really good." Tendou suddenly said.

Shirabu cocked an eyebrow, "Well yeah, she's an omega. She's gonna have a smell."

The rest of the team looked rather shocked. 

"She's an omega? Even alphas have problems functioning with us, will she be able to?" Ushijima wondered out loud. 

"Uh, guys. Sorry if you forgot, but Semi and I are omegas too and we don't have problems playing with all of you. Not all of us are submissive little wimps like some gross alphas think." Shirabu reminded, rolling his eyes. 

The rest of the team chuckled as they got back to their positions to practice serves. 

As you observed practice, you got the hang of things pretty quickly. You filled all the water bottles before they finished practicing so they didn't have to wait and you tidied up whenever you say stray balls or things out of place. It wasn't all that bad, being a manager. 

"Heads up!"

"Watch out!"

Warnings rang in the air as a spike wasn't received properly and veered off course. And of course, it had to go straight towards you. Fortunately, you had been in your fair share of games as a libero and even went running over benches and chairs for awkward receives. You instantly dropped your clipboard and dropped down to a receiving position, returning it perfectly to where the setter was standing. 

Everyone was shocked.

"Woah...manager-chan...you're really good at receiving!" Tendou exclaimed in a loud voice, breaking the stillness.

"Haha...it wasn't my best, I wasn't paying attention so..." flushing pink, you quickly grabbed the fallen clipboard and ran to Washijo-sensei to organise more items. 

Several more days passed like this, you going to volleyball practices both after school and morning, doing what managers would do. Some of the guys weren't used to it yet, as the third years and second years never experienced having a manager, but they were grateful there was someone there to take over the jobs that they would have to do after practice if she wasn't here. The team slowly warmed up to you and you got closer to most of them. 

In particular, there was Tendou. 

He would go over to you every day and start conversations. At first, you were slightly intimidating by his overwhelming height and unique way of speech, but you slowly realised it was just him trying to be friendly and funny. The other guys would make jokes about him looking suspicious because he was hovering over a girl almost 30 cm shorter than him, but it was all in good fun. You got to see truly how short you were compared to the team when they would gather around you for water bottles after practice. Shirabu was one of the shortest ones and he was still a whole 15 cm taller than you. From an outsider's perspective, they looked like a bunch of rowdy alphas surrounding a tiny omega. 

In class, you would often chat with Goshiki about volleyball or the senpais. You also made a few friends who were girls, and they were surprised at how close you were to the upperclassmen. 

"Don't they seem really intimidating?? Like they're way taller than us and their voices are so deep..."

"Yeah, it's like they could kill you if they punched you...I'm an alpha, and I'm always scared when they come down the hallway."

You laughed, "I swear, they probably couldn't hurt a fly. On court, they're amazing, but off court, they're just a bunch of dorks who like volleyball."

"(f/n)-chan, you're so brave, I swear."

\-------------------------------

After a month, a certain question from a certain someone got the boys got kind of nervous. 

_In the locker room_

"Hey guys, is manager-chan going to stay with us?" Tendou asked, "It's been a month, but she still hasn't really said anything concrete about leaving or staying."

This was bringing up the question of dread in the boys' minds. By now, they were so used to having a manager, a calming presence whenever the gym was full of alpha pheromones and the stench of sweat. A helping hand who organised things for them, filled the water bottles, re-inflated the balls, made healthy snacks for them from time to time...they couldn't bear it if she left. The majority of the team looked towards Shirabu and Goshiki, as they were the ones who knew her before the entered the club. 

"Don't look at me, she hasn't said anything specific and I don't want to spread false news, so I'm keeping this mouth shut." Shirabu pointedly said, turning around to button up his shirt.

"I-I-I would like (l/n)-san to stay too, but I wouldn't want to force her. I will try to ask her during class." Goshiki replied, earning a smile on some of their faces. 

You stood outside in the gym, taking a log of the number of balls that need re-inflation and a checklist of things needed by next week. Shiratorizawa was having a game with a college team from outer Miyagi, so they needed to be in top condition. Clueless to the conversations and thoughts inside that locker room, you quickly said goodbye to the boys and went to your class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly bois, I have no idea where I'm going with this right now so hang on tight


	3. Manager-chan Stays (of course)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team is woried that Manager-chan might leave.
> 
> At this time, what is manager-chan thinking?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys thanks for reading this...i have no idea how long this story is gonna be so if you like it please bookmark it!

The team couldn't think much about their manager leaving, as it was their first practice match of the year in a few days. They decided to give it their all, as they were going against a university team, and they should get off the year to a good start. The boys all warmed up for practice first thing after school and started serving right away. You smiled as you saw them trying their best to coordinate as a team, as there were new first years and the loss of some good third years. 

Goshiki was actually able to get a spot on the team as a regular, and you often told you how proud you were of him for that. He would just blush and turn away while pretending to not care at all, even though you knew that whenever you brought that up, he was secretly really happy. He thought he hid it well, but it was obvious. 

At this point, you were having a pretty fun time being the manager of the boys volleyball team, so you had thought to continue it, but you didn't know if the boys were really satisfied with what you were doing. You had asked Kiyoko about basic and more complicated things that managers do, and you couldn't do them all with just you there, so you didn't know if the boys were really okay with what you were doing. 

At that moment, Goshiki suddenly asked, "Hey, (l/n)-chan (you guys had gotten closer and he felt comfortable calling you -chan), are you planning on staying with the team and being manager? We're not really pressuring you or anything, just asking. We're all pretty curious."

"Hmm..Tomu-kun (you had gotten comfortable way faster than he did, already calling him by his given name), do you think I'm doing an okay job at being your manager?"

"Of course! Everyone likes it when you're around, it's like the atmosphere is lighter. Remember that time you weren't here because you had to tutor someone for an assignment? I've never seen such a quiet practice before! It's like everyone was depressed because you weren't here."

Letting out a light laugh, "I'm sure that wasn't it Tomu-kun. Maybe I should ask Shirabu-senpai..."

_At practice_

"Hey, Shirabu-senpai, could I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

Having gotten used to his blunt manner in both speaking and actions, you smiled, "Do you think I have been doing okay as a manager?"

"Of course!" Both of his eyebrows were raised, "You've been doing a great job so far. The team isn't used to having a manager who can do the menial tasks for us, so they're really grateful too." Hearing that, your heart soared and a smile lit up your face. You thought to ask one more person just to be sure. 

_On the way home_

After your first week here, you had realised that you and Tendou actually don't live far from each other, his house being just a few houses away. You could go there and come back in 10 minutes. Your mothers also had gotten close to each other, meaning you would sometimes see him on weekends when his mother came to visit or your mother went over to their house, dragging you along with him. 

It had been slightly awkward at first.

\----------------------------

_"Tendou senpai??" you exclaimed._

_A pair of surprised eyes looked down at you. "Manager-chan, why are you here-ohh.." a sound of enlightenment was heard when he figured out the situation. "Turns out we live pretty close, huh?"_

_You let out a soft laugh, "Yeah..."_

_~awkward silence~'_

_"...soooo, you wanna see my dog?"_

_"A dog!? Senpai, you have a dog and you never told me? I would've come over ages ago!"_

_Tendou laughed as he led you to the backyard, "Well, should I have introduced myself like: "Hey there, my name is Tendou Satori and I have a dog!" or something like that??"_

_You flushed as you trailed behind him, opening your mouth to say something but you suddenly closed it again._

_Why did he smell so good?_

_Tendou, to you, smelled like a fireplace during Christmas, warm and comfy. There were also hints of...a berry-like smell?_

_Shaking your head, your footsteps hurried as he got to the backyard, his one step equaling your two, almost three steps._

_In the corner of the yard, there was a cute little doghouse._

_In the doghouse, there was the cutest little border collie puppy._

_You squealed as you rushed towards the little puppy, tail wagging with excitement as it had smelt humans coming in. With a big hug, you enveloped the dog into your embrace. It barked happily and licked you on the nose. Giggling a bit, you carefully set the puppy back down on the ground and started rubbing it's fur. Soon enough, it flopped over and showed you its belly, practically begging you to give it tummy rubs. You happily obliged._

_Standing a little bit further behind you, Tendou gazed upon this scene with reverence. His cute little manager-chan with his cute little puppy. This was practically the cutest thing to ever exist in the universe. She also smelled really good, the same smell as last time. Why did only she smell this good to him? It smelled like cinnamon and marshmallows, perfect on a winter's day if you were snuggling by the fireplace. Unknowingly, he was grinning like a fool, and it wasn't till someone called him from the house behind that he broke out of his trance and looked back._

_"Nii-san, what are you doing?"_

_He turned around and saw his little brother, Satoru, standing on the veranda, having just come down after doing his homework. The brothers weren't particularly close nor did they particularly hate each other. They basically knew of each other's existence and didn't meddle, like normal brothers would. His brother had just heard a commotion outside his bedroom and decided to come down and check it out._

_You finally took your attention away from the dog, standing up, but not forgetting to continuously pet it whenever it nudged your hand for head rubs._

_"Hello, are you Tendou-senpai's little brother?" you smiled, feeling slightly awkward that you had let a stranger see you in complete frenzy over a dog._

_The boy nodded, seemingly not knowing how to respond or act, "My name is Tendou Satoru, and I'm a third-year in middle school. Are you a friend of my brother's?"_

_"Yep! I'm (l/n), (y/n), nice to meet you! Oh! I'm a first year in high school, even though I might not look like it I guess." you said, his brother was a year younger than you but still towered over you by around 15 cm. Damn these Tendou family genes. Maybe it wasn't that you were short but other people were too tall._

_The three of you decided to head back into the house when suddenly you were barred from being in the living room._

_"Sorry kids, we're gonna be using the living room for a while (for who knows what), so why don't you guys go along and go upstairs? Just remember to keep the door open~"_

_"Mom! What are you saying?" you hissed, feeling your face flush at the statement._

_Nonetheless, the three of you made your way up there. Since Satoru's room was the closest, the three of you just went in there together, feeling slightly awkward._

_You sat down on the floor next to the table on the floor, and Satoru took the bed while Tendou grabbed a chair._

_And then you sat there in awkward silence for about a minute._

_In your head you were screaming, "MOM WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO MEEE..."_

_Looking for a conversation topic, you glancing around the room. Suddenly, you remembered something you had to get rid of this awkward situation._

_Breaking the silence, you spoke, "Oh yeah, I brought some snacks today, as gifts, even though I didn't know you were my neighbour, Tendou-senpai. You're probably tired of eating things I make from practice haha."_

_Raising his eyebrows, Tendou said, "Manager-channnn, I would never get tired of eating things you make."_

_You laughed quietly and brought out a container from your drawstring bag, it had been taking most of the weight._

_"If you guys are gonna eat it, you better eat most or all of it because I do not want to carry this heavy thing home again._

_Both brothers looked at each other and shrugged._

_This time, you had made some cheesecake bars, lemon flavour. The sourness of the lemon made the cheesecake feel not too heavy and with some lemon shavings sprinkled on the top, it packed just the right punch._

_"Because this isn't for your team, there's way more sugar in it than usual, Tendou-senpai. I didn't know it was you after all..." you grinned sheepishly._

_"It's alright, (l/n)-chan, I like sweet stuff too. The snacks you make are always healthy and tasty anyway." he replied, immediately reaching for a cheesecake bar._

_You gestured for Satoru to take one too. He seemed hesitant, but in the end, he took one. Both brothers ate and it was like a lightbulb dinged above their heads. They immediately consumed one after another and by the time you ate two, the entire container was empty. You chuckled and put the lid back onto the container, shoving it in your bag again._

_To your surprise, Satoru spoke first, "(l/n)-san, these were very good, would you be able to give us the recipe for it? Although our parents aren't very good at making sweets, I definitely want to try to make them."_

_Laughing, you replied, "I'd be glad to give it to you, but it does take quite a bit of skill, it might take a while for you. If you want though, I'll give you my number and you can text me whenever you want sweets or something to eat. I bake pretty often and I would be glad to give some to you. I don't want to get fat now, do I?"_

_HIs eyes lit up and he gave an almost childlike smile, "Yes! Thank you!"_

_You two exchanged numbers and the three of you talked about sweets until your mothers called for you._

_Tendou felt slightly envious. Why had his brother gotten his number before him? He had known you for longer. You had been their manager for almost a bit over a month now! It didn't matter if someone like Goshiki got it first, as he was in your class, but you had met his brother for the first time and given him your number like that! He pouted slightly._

_Putting on your shoes at the front door, you saw Tendou leaning on the doorframe, slight pout on his face. You wondered what had made him unhappy? Did he not like the sweets as much as he said he did? Were they actually really bad? A jumble of thoughts were rushing in your head, but you couldn't figure it out. Then, you remembered what you wanted to do before you left._

_"Hey, Tendou-senpai."_

_"Yes, (l/n)-chan?"_

_Here goes nothing._

_"Would it be okay if...we exchanged...n-numbers? Y-you know, we're basically neighbours and stuff...I-I mean you don't have to if you don't want to, it's jus-"_

_"Definitely! You know, manager-chan, I was getting a bit sad because you even exchanged numbers with Satoru-chan before meeee...I did know you first yanno..."_

_The both of you laughed and chatted a bit more before exchanging numbers and you were happy as you waved goodbye and headed home._

_\------------------------------_

You had made a habit of going home with Tendou. As a manager, you always stayed until the end to make sure that everything was put away properly, and Tendou didn't really have to wait for you, but he insisted and even said, "It's dangerous for a little girl like you to go home alone at this time! You never know what's lurking around in the neighbourhood!"

Instantly, you replied, "Tendou-senpai, I am only 2 years younger than you. You talk about me as if I'm in middle school!" 

"Well...let's just say that your size isn't the most...intimidating."

You playfully slapped him on the shoulder, rolling your eyes and going to log the rest of the balls. 

"Hey Tendou-senpai?"

"Yessss??"

You laughed as he replied in that weird, drawn out way of speaking. It always managed to cheer you up.

"D-do you think I'm doing okay as a manager right now? Like in terms of the stuff I'm doing for you guys."

"Hmm? I'm pretty sure our whole team is pretty grateful to have you here with us! You take care of the things that most of the guys deem to tedious to do properly, you help us with tasks that we would have to stay behind to do if we didn't have a manager, and you make the best snacks for us. Like actually, our team is still reminiscing about the healthy peanut butter fudge you made us, as well as the heavenly banana bread you brought last time. Like, how is peanut butter healthy????" 

Hearing all of that put a bright smile on your face.

You gulped, now preparing for the big question.

"So do you think it would be okay if I became your real manager? L-like if you guys don't mind I could I guess? I mean of course if you guys don't want-"

"Of course!!!! Manager-chan, you should tell the team tomorrow! They're gonna be so happy!" Tendou suddenly exclaimed.

You blinked. Really? Was this gonna happen? 

Hearing Tendou ramble about how happy the guys were gonna be brought you out of your trance and you realised you were home already.

After saying goodbye to Tendou, you walked into your house and to your room. 

You couldn't wait for tomorrow.


	4. Manager-chan stands up for Miracle Boi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're officially a part of the Shiratorizawa volleyball team!!! The boys all welcome you, but something happens which makes you mad.
> 
> Also, I am realising that there's very little ABO dynamics and I guess it's good, cuz I don't wanna get caught too deep in that sorta drama yanno...sorry if that's what you were hoping for oof

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooooo....in this chapter, we got manager-chan defending our precious miracle boi because he does not deserve people calling him a monster unless it's on the court
> 
> must  
> protecc  
> bby

The following day, you went to school for morning practice as normal, but your heart was beating out of your chest.

When you got there, some of the people who got there early were already practicing. Shirabu, Goshiki, and of course, Ushijima. Tendou tended to be one of the late ones, almost bordering on being tardy to every single morning practice. You said your greetings and went to put down your things. But of course, Shirabu, being the ever observant person he was, noticed a scent of nervousness coming from you. He frowned slightly, and when most of the team got there, he gestured to the team to gather around him.

"So, I don't know if any of you noticed, but I can smell waves of nervousness coming from (l/n), I don't know what she's nervous about, but we should be ready for news or something sudden to happen okay? No one react or act weird, especially you Goshiki, it's so obvious."

Goshiki was practically vibrating in the air. He didn't know what you were going to say after asking him if you were a good manager yesterday. No way, was she really planning on leaving the team? How would they get motivated or pumped without her soothing presence there? He really wanted to say something, but he kept his mouth shut. 

Practice went on as usual. They practiced serves, then receives, then spikes, and even played some 3 on 3. But one thing remained in the back of their minds constantly, why were you nervous? What sort of news did you have to tell them? Was it what they most feared to hear from you?

Towards the end of practice, they were finishing up their stretching exercises when you told Washijo-sensei you had made your decision. Washijo could see the necks of the entire team craning to try to hear what you were saying and chuckled. He better not keep this from them for too long, or they might go insane. He called out, "Hey, (l/n) has something to tell you guys so get over here right when you've finished stretching." At this point, even those not completely finished with stretching rushed to complete some simple moves and moved as quickly as they could to the area around you without being too obvious they were rushing. 

You were waiting for the rest of the boys to gather and thinking how you would phrase it when a voice cut through your thoughts.

"(l/n)-chan, if you're gonna leave, please at least promise that you'll visit us every chance you get..." a sad voice said, startling you. Goshiki? What was he saying? Leave? When did you say you were going to leave?

"We have deeply appreciated your efforts and contribution to this team, and we will all miss your presence in this gym very much." a deep voice said next. Ushijima? Why was everyone assuming that you decided to leave? You looked for Tendou, and he was loitering at the back, unreadable expression on his face. Why wasn't he telling them? You wondered. Washijo-sensei was standing to the side, seemingly very amused at the misunderstanding that was happening. 

As you were processing this new information, suddenly all the boys bowed to you and shouted words of thanks or encouragement. 

You had never had this happen before, so you couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

A laugh?

The boys were puzzled. Why would you be laughing at them saying goodbye to you?

"Guys, why are you just assuming stuff?? I'm not leaving! I'm staying as an official manager! At this point, even if you guys wanted to get rid of me, you couldn't. Only I know all of your guys' habits and I doubt anyone else at this school knows how many balls we have in the inventory and how to re-inflate them the fastest." you chuckled slightly at your statement. 

All of them featured different looks on their faces.

Semi and Shirabu looked relieved, Ushijima had that poker face of his back on again, Reon was just slightly smiling, Kawanishi and Yamagata were slapping each other on the back, making fun of the other. Goshiki looked the happiest, his expression from before to now was practically a 180. Tendou, still standing at the back, had a grin on his face, seemingly proud that only he had known this.

"Anyways, how did this even come up? Tendou knew from yesterday, so I thought he would've told you..." you quietly remarked. 

Instantly, all eyes turned to Tendou.

He sheepishly smiled and said, "Aww manager-chan, I didn't think you would out me like thattt...."

That was the last word he could get in before the whole team was talking about how they were going to get revenge on him.

\--------------------------------

After you became Shiratorizawa's official manager, you found that volleyball took up more and more of your time. It had been around 2 months and you had gotten really close to the team members. Good thing you didn't really have any other commitments. Even your friends said, "(y/n)-chan, you really don't talk about anything except for volleyball and the volleyball team. Is it really that fun?"

Laughing, you said, "It's not like it's fun, but it takes up so much of my brain now I have no choice but to think about it, isn't that right, Tomu-kun?"

From beside you, Goshiki answered, "That's good! You're our only manager so we need you to be thinking about us all the time! Feel free to pay more attention to me, as I am going to be the next ace!" 

"Of course, Tomu-kun, you're the best." you answered carelessly, knowing he had a smile on his face as soon as you said that. 

Your friends giggled, whispering to each other and you that you really knew how to handle people. 

After talking with them for a while, you decided to go outside to the vending machines to get a drink. 

Right when you were about to turn the corner, you were thinking about if you should get apple juice of peach juice when you heard a couple of voices. You immediately recognised one of them. Nishida from the class next door. She thinks she's all that because she's dating one of the "popular" guys on the basketball team. She goes around with her clique of friends and makes fun of everyone they don't like or people who are simply unpopular. 

You usually stayed out of situations like this, due to your meek nature, but what you were hearing was something you had never hoped to hear.

"Ugh! You freak! Why do you even go to this school. It's like you're rotting the air around here with your presence. You know what? You look like a monster. I hear they call you "Guess-Monster" when you play volleyball? Well, hah! I think that fits you really well!" a high pitched voice said. 

"I know right! Aren't you alphas supposed to be all handsome and mighty? You should've just been a beta! I feel sorry for whoever your fated mate is. They probably hope they'll never meet you. You know what you remind me of? Those yokai in those stories in Japanese class! Amirite??" another voice chimed in. The other voices giggled noisily and you turned the corner to see who the poor soul receiving all these insults were when your blood turned cold. 

Standing right next to the vending machines was a certain middle blocker. When listening to these hurtful words, he didn't flinch one bit. For some reason, this made your heart hurt.

"Hah! What are you doing, acting all unaffected." Nishida finally joined in, "You know what? You don't look like a monster or a yokai. Because you know what you look like? A DEMON!"

Seeing all the girls burst into laughter, your shoulders started to shake. When they said the word demon, you saw his fingers twitch a little. It was hard to spot, but it was there. 

You weren't going to let this go on. Marching out to where they were standing, you inserted yourself between him and the clique. Even though he was much taller than you, you pulled yourself up to max height in order to cover the most of him you could. 

Tendou was surprised. What were you doing here? Did you happen to hear the things said just now? Tendou had always been strong to these sorts of things. From when he was small, he had been ostracised by the other children for being "weird" and simply because he didn't fit the status quo. Although he had built up a wall in his heart towards these sort of things, from time to time, attacks still got through. 

He knew what being an alpha meant. He knew no omega in their right mind would want him. He knew he was weird and that he tended to act weirdly as well. He knew.

He knew.

But it still hurt. 

So it shocked him when someone so small decided to walk up and attempt to shield him against these bullies. 

"Hmm? Who are you? What are you trying to do?" NIshida said. 

"It doesn't matter, but what does is that you are outright harassing someone and that isn't very nice is it? What do you know about Tendou-senpai huh? You're making these judgements off your assumptions and judging someone by their face. Don't you feel ashamed of yourself?! You know what? If your little boyfriend caught wind of what you said just now, do you think he'd still think you're a little, meek, nice girl? What if someone just so happened to tell him? How would you like that?" you angrily ranted to her and her clique.

"Ugh! You know what, you're a piece of trash! You better watch your back!" Nishida and the others sauntered away after saying that really cliche parting line. You sighed, they probably wouldn't actually do something, they were just shouting empty threats. 

It was then that you realised you were still standing in front of Tendou. 

Turning around, you saw that his expression was just blank. You had no idea what he was feeling at that time. Your omega instincts, for some reason, urged you to comfort this lanky giant in front of you. 

You took his arm and dragged him to a bench nearby. Thankfully, no one was near there so you could have a private conversation. 

"Tendou-senpai. You know what, you're an awesome guy." you started with that. That shouldn't be so bad right?

"You are one of the funniest people I've ever met, you are genuine, amazing at volleyball, a great mood-maker, you're a good older brother, you're like the glue that keeps the team together." you continued. 

"You can always make me laugh and feel better whenever I feel sad, and you are definitely none of the things that the stupid girls from before said you were...so please, don't listen to them. Please, don't believe that you're like that. You are an awesome alpha that any omega would be lucky to have. The team needs you here, and your presence is always appreciated. You-" you didn't even notice that tears were streaming down your face as you babbled on, words not making sense as you tried to speak. 

Tendou was stunned. He never thought the little girl in front of him would ever have the guts to do something like that. He saw her legs shaking as she confronted the group in front of her, he saw her small hands trembling as they reached out to grab him. He watched as tears streamed down her face, trying to comfort him when she herself wasn't in the right state of mind. 

At this moment, the entire Shiratorizawa volleyball team showed up at the vending machines.

Apparently Goshiki was looking for (l/n) after she took way too long to go to the vending machines and back, and the rest of the team was looking for Tendou, who had disappeared for too long as well. 

What they stumbled upon was this scene: their manager sitting on a bench crying and trying to speak while Tendou sat next to her, reaching a hand out towards her.

It was silent for a whole 30 seconds. No one said anything nor reacted, not knowing how to react to this kind of situation in the first place. 

Finally, Tendou moved to stand up and said, "So...I bet we're all wondering, "What happened here?" and I swear: it's not what you're thinking."

\-----------------------------

After briefly explaining the situation to them, they all agreed that the manager should go home for the day. Tendou volunteered because his house was the closest to hers and he was the root cause of the situation. After a warning from Shirabu to not "take advantage" of the situation, Tendou rolled his eyes and escorted the manager back home. When they got to her house, apparently her parents were having an important business meeting, so he took her to his house. No one was home yet. 

You settled down on the couch in the living room, thoroughly embarrassed by what just happened. Why did you suddenly start crying? He was the one who needed to be comforted, not you. 

By this time, you had been to his house a number of times to be comfortable, so you just sat and watched TV while Tendou scuffled around the kitchen, doing god-knows-what.

You had almost fallen asleep when you felt a hand on your head. Tendou handed you a mug full of peppermint tea and sat down on the chair diagonal to the couch. You slowly sipped at it, not wanting to bring up something that might be awkward. Wondering what you should do now, you absentmindedly ran your hand along the handle of the mug. 

"Manager-chan?" Tendou suddenly spoke, "I just want to say, thank you." 

"H-huh? Oh...it's nothing. I'm sorry I just randomly started crying. It's so embarrassing." you buried your face in your arms.

"Whaaat? Nahhh...I just- never thought, you would do something like that."

"Oh god, please don't make me think about it."

Tendou chuckled as you tried to roll into a ball on the couch.

"I'm grateful for you, Manager-chan. No one has ever said stuff like that to me before."

You smiled, glad that you were able to be of some help in the end. 

"Hey Manager-chan..." Tendou started saying something, but trailed off.

"What?"

"Have you ever wondered about your fated mate? Yanno, like the one you're destined to be with or whatever."

You turned slightly red, "Well...I'd be lying if I said never, but it's not something I dwell on every day."

"Well..." 

You frowned, Tendou was being weirdly hesitant when he was talking, and that never happens. On a normal day, he would never shut up, so the gym was never quiet.

"I was just thinking...do you think I might be your fated mate?"

You blinked.

Once.

Twice.

What?

Your mind was spinning and putting the pieces together. Why did you feel so happy when you were around him? Why does he suddenly smell so good sometimes? Why did you get so emotional over him just now?

As Tendou saw you blanking out, he got kind of worried. What if you didn't like him? What if you rejected this? The cogs in his head were spinning scenarios faster than in any volleyball game before. 

The both of you remained silent for a while.

\-----------------------

After a good while passed, you broke the silence.

"Tendou-senpai."

He jerked out of his daydream, "Uhh, yeah?"

"I would like to hear what you think about this situation."


	5. Reconciliation (Lol just them getting together ig)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for "the talk" lol. 
> 
> What's gonna happen?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyy, so if you enjoy my work, please leave a comment or kudos! honestly it really inspires me to keep writing :)

"Tendou-senpai."

He jerked out of his daydream, "Uhh, yeah?"

"I would like to hear what you think about this situation."

That sentence jerked Tendou back to his senses.

What did he think of this? Of course he was happy. Such a cute girl was destined to be his partner. You were everything an omega was supposed to be. Kind, soft, warm, cute, the adjectives he could use to describe you could go on forever. He never thought that he would meet his fated mate, and even if he did, he didn't expect to actually fall in love with them. All the scenarios in his head ended with them rejecting him because of his personality or looks. 

But if it was manager-chan, wouldn't it be okay?

Tendou's emotions soared into the sky. The only problem was, he didn't know how you felt. 

And,

He was scared to find out.

\----------------------------

You were taking some time to get your thoughts straight. Tendou-senpai was apparently your fated mate. Honestly, you weren't expecting to meet your mate until later in life. You had no idea what to do currently. 

Although, a voice in the back of your mind whispered to you, telling you that you weren't exactly against the face that your mate was Tendou. 

Throughout these few months as the manager of the volleyball team, you had spectated quite a few of their practice matches. A lot of spectators would say that Ushijima was the one who caught their eye. But for you, it was always Tendou. The tall middle blocker constantly frustrated his opponents by completely shutting down their spikes, and although he would make a mistake at times, which was quite funny, it was amazing when he got serious. 

The normally lighthearted person turned into a blocking machine as he stopped the opponents left and right. No one could get past him. To you, that was what you liked most about Tendou. The moment his eyes turned dark you could feel shivers down your spine. Your friends always teased you about it, saying things like how you only had eyes for Tendou, or that you liked him or something. You never took them seriously. 

Until now. 

Could you say you were happy? What if Tendou-senpai wasn't satisfied with someone like you? You knew there were tons of other omegas better than you. More attractive, kind, taller, prettier, and just better than you in every way. So when Tendou brought it up, you were stunned. 

\----------------------------

Tendou cleared his throat loudly, "Well, (l/n)-chan, you were pretty cool today. I've never seen anyone like you before. Any alpha would be lucky to have you as their fated mate. I just..."

Your heart beat out of your chest as his words trailed off. Did he not want you? Was it like you thought after all? Emotions started welling up in the form of tears in your eyes. 

Seeing you tear up, Tendou started babbling, "UH! (l/n)-chan, don't be sad! I'm sorry your fated mate is someone like me and I'm sure you don't like it so I'm so sorry but-"

"What?!" you shouted, scaring him for a moment. He had never heard you raise your voice except for that incident with the girls. 

"What's wrong, (l/n)-chan?"

"Why would you assume that I don't like it? Didn't you hear what I said earlier? Why do you put yourself down like this? I-" you broke down again, fresh tears coming out of your eyes. Tendou's eyes widened, processing the information and the words you just said in his brain at light speed. 

Did this mean you were fine with it? Did he dare to have some hope that maybe you didn't dislike it? Did he dare to hope that maybe...you liked him back?

Hesitantly, he stood up and made his way towards you on the couch. You barely had time to wipe away your tears and look up when the boy took you into his arms and took you into a giant bear hug. You let out a small gasp of surprise and tensed up. 

"WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW." was the phrase you screamed inside your head, trying to wrap your head around the current situation. 

"Manager-chan, the reason I was hesitant was because I thought you were too good for me. From when I was small, I never thought my fated mate would even want me. You heard what those girls said. But now I see you, and I understand what fate is. I never thought I'd find an omega like you." you heard Tendou's voice from above your head. The boy was rubbing small circles into your back and you slowly closed your eyes, letting the boy's scent envelop you. 

The smell of pine wood and berries calmed you as you drifted off to sleep, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets and Tendou's arms. 

Tendou looked down at the small omega in his embrace. You had fallen asleep and he resisted the urge to smother you right there and then, you looked too precious. He glanced around the room and figured the best thing for him to do right now was to bring you to his bed, you couldn't sleep in that position for too long or your neck would hurt. Picking you up in a princess carry, he carefully made his way up the stairs and tucked you into his bed. 

He then proceeded to rack his head and think of what to do when you woke up. 

\-------------------------------

You woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling. Sitting up and looking around, you realised it was dark outside and that this was definitely not your room. Your entire body felt lethargic as you slowly rose up and got out of the bed. Was this Tendou's room? Why were you here?

Your face flushed as you slowly recalled what had happened this afternoon. 

So...what was your relationship with Tendou now? Were you...mates? To avoiding thinking up crazy scenarios, you opened the door quietly and made your way downstairs. 

What you came down to see surprised you. 

"Agh! Why won't this work? I am doing the exact thing I saw my mom doing the other day, but what is this?! Porridge? This is more like charcoal! What am I doing wrong?" a certain redhead alpha stood in the kitchen, stove on and pot burning. 

You chuckled, and the alpha whipped his head around. 

"(l/n)-chan, you're awake! I was trying to make some food but...as you see, it isn't going well." 

Walking over to him, you looked down at the pot and even after staring inside for a good minute, you still had no idea what was in the pot.

"Senpai, if you have extra ingredients, I can make something for the both of us. I'm sure you're pretty hungry by now."

"Oh...that would probably be for the best." he pouted slightly and moved over to the fridge to get more ingredients. 

Although your main specialty was desserts, you were able to find the basic ingredients for fried rice. You fried the rice with some carrots and onions, adding an egg and some minced meat as well. You managed to finish it quickly and even whipped up a dessert with some leftover ingredients you found in their kitchen, low-calorie brownies, as you knew you shouldn't give an athlete desserts that were too unhealthy. 

Tendou sat at the table and watched with awe and wonder as you busily moved in the kitchen. 

After finishing the plating, you called him to help with bringing the plates out, and you both sat down at the table to eat. 

While eating, Tendou asked, "So...what are we now?"

Choking slightly, " _cough_ _-_ OH! Uh...' you drank some water.

Seeing that he should take the initiative, Tendou gulped and spat the words out, "Manager-chan, I like you." your eyes widened, "Will you go out with me?"

After being stunned for a few seconds, a bright smile came back onto your face.

"Yes. Of course I will, Tendou-senpai."

Tendou let out a sigh of relief, you finally smiled. He hadn't noticed before, but you hadn't smiled since the vending machine incident, and he didn't realise how much he missed that bright, sunny smile until he finally saw it again.

The both of you laughed softly as you continued eating, Tendou, as always, praising the desserts you made for being healthy and delicious at the same time. 

\------------------------------

That night, you both decided that the faster you told your parents the better. It just so happened that your families were having dinner together, and the reactions were pretty positive. Both the mothers squealed with delight and immediately started teasing the both of you. Your father seemed conflicted, as if he was giving his daughter away too soon, but after a few words (privately) with Tendou, he returned with a smile and started talking to Tendou's father about who-knows-what. Satoru seemed happy, as it meant he was going to get the chance to keep eating your desserts forever and ever. 

The both of you smiled all night and had a great time. 

Then, it was finally time to part.

'Tendou-senpai, thank you for today. I'm sorry you had to see something so embarrassing."

"(l/n)-chan! I should be the one thanking you for today! By the way, do you think it's time we changed something?"

"Hmm?" you replied to him, confused as to the meaning of his words.

"You should call me by my first name! That's what mates should do." he smiled, "I'll call you by your first name too, (y/n)-channnnn."

You blushed when you heard him say your name and whispered quietly, "O-o-okay, Tendou-senpai."

"Hmmmmm? I think I heard something wrong just now?"

Your face turning a deeper shade of red, you just managed to get out, 'S-S-S-Satori...-senpai..."

Tendou laughed as he ruffled your hair gently and waved good bye as you and your family left.

That night, you both had good dreams. 

\----------------------------

You decided to meet up with Tendou to go to school together the next day. The both of you wanted to tell the team as well. This, along with Tendou's tendencies to sleep in, meant that you were going to be late if Tendou continued sleeping like he normally did. You were sitting in the living room when Satoru came up with an idea to get him up. He whispered the plan to you and you giggled, knowing this was going to be funny. 

Tendou lay in bed, eyes barely open. He felt like he was forgetting something...did he make a promise with (y/n)-chan yesterday? Anyhow, his brain was too tired to function, so his eyes slowly closed once more, wanting to get just five more minutes in bed. 

You and Satoru tiptoed outside his door, Satoru holding a phone and making sure it was recording. 

Swallowing nervously, you slowly opened the door and crept next to where Tendou's head was. 

You quietly whispered, "Satori-senpai~, it's time to wake up! We're gonna be late if you don't get up right now..."

His eyes jerked wide open, face turning a deep shade of puce, "(Y/N)-CHAN! WHAT ARE- WHY ARE YOU- IN MY ROOM- HUH- WHAT?" he flailed around, trying to grab for something, he didn't know what, but it just ended up looking really stupid. 

You and Satoru burst out laughing as Tendou shot up and looked around with a confused look on his face. 

"Satoru-kun, I'll make you any dessert you request for next week as thanks for this sight." your stomach hurt and you managed to wheeze one sentence out.

After Tendou (very quickly) got dressed and grabbed a slice of banana bread you brought for the team, the two of you set off for school. Your heart was pounding again as you tried to predict how the team would react to this. Would they be surprised? Would they think it was weird? Oh my god, what if they didn't approve.

Smelling a scent of nervousness around you, Tendou bent down and asked, "Whatcha thinkin' about, (y/n)-chann?"

"Oh, I was just wondering what the reactions of the team are going to be to...this..."

Tendou let out a short laugh, "Ohh, you don't have to worry about them. They'll just probably be concerned for you, thinking I tricked you or something."

"Whaat?"

The two of you continued talking about how you thought they would react all the way to the gym.

When you got there, you were once again surprised at what you saw. 

The team was pacing around anxiously, seemingly worried about something. As soon as they saw you, they all rushed towards you and instantly you understood what was happening from their voices.

"(l/n)-san, are you okay? Don't worry, if you're not feeling well, we can make sure you get home as soon as possible, don't push yourself." Reon instantly said.

"(y/n)-chan, are you sure you're up for class today? I'll make sure that Nishida and her gang don't even get close to you!" Goshiki exclaimed. 

"As our manager, we care deeply for you and we wish that you be in the best state you can be at all times. Yesterday's events would warrant you rest at home for a few more days, there's no need to push yourself." you heard Ushijima quietly say from the back.

The chorus of voices slightly spooked you and you didn't know what to say. Again, your dumb emotions got the best of you and tears started coming. The whole team immediately went silent, not knowing if they had done something wrong. Most of them had no experience with comforting crying girls, you could say. 

A wave of relief washed over them when you finally opened your mouth and said, "Thank you guys so much for caring about me...I'm sorry that you had to see me in that state yesterday, it was quite embarrassing..."

Tendou jumped in, "Soooooo, enough about that incident, Manager-chan and I have something to tell you guys!"

The team was silent, not knowing what was coming next.

Tendou looked to you, seemingly wanting you to say it. You felt the pressure of the stares and decided to just go for it. Grabbing the sleeve of Tendou's uniform jacket, you pulled yourself closer to him and exclaimed, "Satori-senpai and I are fated mates so we're going to start dating now!" 

After saying that, you became embarrassed and instantly fled to the toilets, not wanting to hear the others reactions to it. 

_Back in the gym_

The entire Shiratorizawa team were usually pretty well organised and synchronised, but at this moment, they were the most united in thought they had ever been as they collectively thought of one word, "What."

\-------------------------------

You came out after 10 minutes, and saw that the team had resumed 3 on 3 practice. Feeling relieved, you went over to Tendou to ask what happened. 

"You should have seen them, (y/n)-channn, they were like a pack of wolves on me. Everyone asked me about 20 questions separately, it was so hard...." Tendou whined about it to you.

You let out a soft laugh and felt very grateful towards the team for caring about you so much. You had been very lucky to get lost on the first day of school, have met Shirabu right when he was getting the floor polish, and gave being a manager a chance. Without these random series of events happening you would've never met Tendou. 

You could call it fate, you guessed. 


	6. Uh-oh, Here Comes Some Trouble...(but it's all good in the end dw)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the start of the tournament! But nothing ever goes too smoothly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like reading my works please leave a comment or kudos! 
> 
> Honestly I think this series is gonna come to an end soon hehe, hope I can wrap it up in a nice way :)

It had been a few weeks since you started dating Tendou. The team had been slightly awkward about it at first, since Tendou was obviously acting a lot more clingy with you and constantly trying to get your attention, but by now, it had become an almost normal thing. You weren't sure if that was a good thing, but it made you happy that Tendou treasured your relationship. 

Nishida and the girls basically left you alone now, they never really attempted to "get back" at you for the Tendou thing. It may have partly been because of Goshiki now staying around you all the time at school, warding them off whenever they tried to do something or say something to you. 

Your manager abilities had improved a lot since you first started, and now it was finally the start of the Fall Tournament. The boys had trained for quite a while, and constantly had practice matches, so you had faith in them as well. 

"We have our uniforms and extra sets in case something happens, snacks for along the road, sports drinks, shoes, socks, the banner, the flags, the buses with the students will be right behind us with the instruments and headbands..." you murmured to yourself, going through your mental checklist before you left for what was probably the 10th time. 

"You don't have to be so worried, (y/n)-chan, we're all used to this so there shouldn't be anything missing."

You pouted, "Well it doesn't hurt to be careful, does it? I even brought lemon slices in honey and banana pops, but I guess you don't want any of those..."

"Wait, wait, (y/n)-channn, I was wronggg, please don't deprive me of your delicious food." Tendou backtracked, pouting slightly again, making you laugh. 

"You all have your shoes and miscellaneous clothing items right? If you're ready, get into the van please!" you shouted towards the rest of the team, earning you some nods and grunts in responses. 

After everyone settled in, you and Washijo-sensei made one final check to see that everything was in order and you piled into the van. Looking down the two rows, the only available spot was next to Tendou in the back. He waved and gestured for you to sit next to him. 

"This way, whenever you bring snacks out, I can always get them first!" he proudly said, letting you sit inside next to the window. You laughed and chatted with Tendou during most of the journey to the sports stadium. In the middle, you brought out the banana pops for the team to share, the lemon slices would make for a good energy source later when they were finished playing. During your experience as the manager, you found that the team, weirdly, really liked the food and snacks you brought to practice. Apparently it was because no one had bothered to make them sweets? Even those in their fanclub. 

You could understand, making snacks or desserts for a sports team felt kind of weird, but luckily, you had always been interested in things like health and tended to try and create new recipes for healthy versions of desserts, so it fit perfectly. Now, you even had guinea pigs to test your new creations on. 

You were going through the tunnel when you started feeling kind of drowsy and bothered. What was this? Was your heat approaching? You quickly checked the app on your phone. It was in 2 weeks. Right now you were probably feeling the start of pre-heat symptoms. 

Tendou noticed you feeling kind of anxious and immediately smelled what was happening. 

"(y/n)-chan, you should definitely put on more scent blocker when we get there. It's going to be packed full of alphas, so stick with at least one of us all of the time, okay?" he said with a serious tone. It was his third year going to this tournament. He knew far too well what some teams that were exclusively alphas thought about omegas. There were even those who would make inappropriate comments about passing omegas, making everyone around them uncomfortable. His little manager-chan was so cute she would obviously catch attention if she was having symptoms of pre-heat.

You nodded and immediately took out the scent blocker in your bag, applying more to exposed surfaces. You mentally cursed yourself for wearing shorts today, even though it was hot, you should've noticed your heat was coming soon. 

A feeling of unease settled in your heart, but you told yourself everything was going to be fine. 

\--------------------------------

The ride to the stadium took a bit longer than usual due to traffic, but you slept comfortably the second half due to Tendou wrapping his arm around your shoulder and helping your head lean against his shoulder. He gently shook you awake as the bus was parking, rousing you from your sleep. He nearly didn't have the heart to continue as you nuzzled into his hand and groaned a bit, wanting to sleep for a bit longer. 

Stepping off the bus with the team, you could feel the stares from the people around you. Whether they were just spectators or teams that would go against Shiratorizawa, the team caught the attention of everyone around them going into the stadium. This was expected of one of the strongest teams in Miyagi, but you weren't used to it, as this was your first tournament with the boys. Tendou had told them about your *ahem* situation and the team had decided it was best to have one of them stay by you at all times. Currently, Goshiki was tagging along with you as your dug through the stuff you guys had brought, searching for the banner. If the banner was missing, it would have been bad.

Thankfully, you quickly found it and went back to where the rest of the team was gathered. You instructed them to go change into their uniforms and start warming up. Although their game wasn't first, they needed to stretch properly to avoid cramps during the game and sore muscles after. After telling the students which seats to go to, you walked over to the court where the team was warming up and told them to start serving and spiking drills. 

While they started practice, you had lots of things to prepare, so you were running all round. Since most of the boys were on court, you had found someone else to go around with you. It turned out that Karasuno was also playing at this tournament, so you texted Kiyoko and Yachi. They had finished preparing things for their team, so they went around with you as you finalised things. 

"Okay, the banner is secure, the people are sitting in the right spots, instruments are fine, we have the cones ready for shouting, the people know the cheer, the water bottles are filled...why do I feel like there's always something that I'm missing." you were speaking to yourself, rambling on and on as you went through your checklist again. 

Kiyoko and Yachi laughed and constantly reassured you that you were doing great and nothing was missing. Finally believing them, you waved goodbye and headed back to Shiratorizawa's court while they went to Karasuno's. It was almost game time!

\-------------------------------

"Hey...Wakatoshi-kun, what team are we playing again?" Tendou asked. 

"I believe it is Nishihara High."

Shirabu cocked an eyebrow, "Isn't that the team last year that got disqualified for being rude?"

The team members all thought about it and tried to remember.

_Last year_

"Hey there, aren't you guys a little wimpy? You don't look like you can even serve the ball over the net?" an obnoxious voice echoed throughout the gym.

"By the way, you guys new or something? I've never even heard of your school's name, must be pretty unimportant." another joined in.

"Half of you guys are betas, hell, there's even an omega on the bench! Are you sure he's up for it?" the captain chimed, smirking towards the player. The omega immediately looked towards the ground and gripped their shirt tightly, shaking. The other players immediately placed themselves in front of him, blocking him from the pheromones directed in his direction. 

The team playing against them all had grimaces on their faces. Some seemed angry and frustrated, some just looked downcast, some were trying to ignore them. 

The Shiratorizawa team looked down from the stands, waiting for their next game in an hour. It seemed that the team below them was saying provocative things in order to get the other team riled up. Of course, no teams used this tactic against them, so it was their first time seeing something like this happen. Observing the team, they could tell that it was definitely an all-alpha team, and it wasn't because no omegas wanted to join. They were probably those teams who believed in alpha supremacy. All the members thought that those kinds of people were disgusting. Not wanting to listen anymore, the team packed up and headed towards the secondary gym, wanting to warm up a bit earlier.

Later, they heard that Nishihara High had been disqualified for assaulting another player. Connecting the dots, the players had a pretty clear image in their head of what probably happened.

After recalling the events, the team decided it would be best to finish their match with them in the fastest way possible. Nishihara was known as a decent school, but obviously Shiratorizawa were superior. The members believed the only ones who (maybe) had a chance of beating them was Seijoh, and even that was a really slim chance.

"They were absolutely disgusting, I don't even want to think about what it's like at their school." Semi commented. 

Nodding, Shirabu added, "They better not try any of that crap on us, or I swear I'm going to fight them."

"We will put them in their place. The strong will always win." Ushijima stoically stated.

As the team walked out to the court, you had just returned. 

"Hey guys! I just finished checking everything, so it should be good to go! Are you guys ready? T-there's nothing missing right? Shoes, extra uniform, are the water bottles filled? Oh wait, I left them on the court next to the bench it should be fine. What else? Towels? I put them in a basket there too, it should be okay. Nothing should go wrong..." you accidentally rambled, starting to feel nervous. 

Tendou laughed, "(y/n)-chan, everything is gonna be fine! We're gonna win like we always do and all you need to do is be there to support us." After he said those words, your mood immediately brightened, and the rest of the team chimed in agreement. They found it funny you were so nervous even though you weren't playing. It was a nice sentiment. Suddenly, they felt very motivated to win the game in an awesome way. With you cheering them on, they felt like you could do anything. 

Hearing the crowd cheer, you quickly took your place next to Washijo-sensei on the bench and smiled, feeling your heart beat out of your chest.

It was finally starting!

It was halfway through the first set and Shiratorizawa was killing it. They started with three points scored in a row thanks to Ushijima's powerful serve. The opposing team couldn't do anything except try to receive it, but kept on going off and it even flew into the stands once. Once it was the fourth serve, their libero finally managed to get it in the air and passed it to their setter. The spiker on the right went for it, finally jumping up for the first time in the game, only to get his spike shut down by a certain red-haired middle blocker. This continued for a while, the opposing not managing to get many points as Shiratorizawa scored point after point.

Seeing the opposing team so frustrated was great for you. It seemed like everyone was in top form. The first set was taken by Shiratorizawa 13-25. 

"You guys were awesome out there! They could barely get any points in! All the practicing is paying off!" you praised them excitedly as they gathered off the court, you couldn't stop smiling as you passed out water bottles and cool towels to everyone. Seeing as they were starting to get a little tired, you quickly brought out the lemon slices in honey.

As soon as everyone saw them, they immediately reached out to grab some of the chilled slices. The sourness of the lemon and sweetness of the honey brought them back to top shape and they thanked the heavens for giving them you as your manager. Before, the most Washijo-sensei bought them for sustenance were those gel-packs meant for keeping your calories up. Nowadays, they got to eat healthy and delicious snacks every other practice. 

The players from Nishihara looked at the Shiratorizawa team across the court, all gathered around their manager. Was she passing out...snacks? Huh, having such a great time. Everyone was frustrated because they were losing so badly. Suddenly, the captain had an idea flash through his head. Snickering, he whispered to his teammates. Even if they were going to lose horribly, they had to get back at them somehow. He wanted to see the Shiratorizawa team with anger and frustration on their faces. 

The team was getting ready by discussing tactics for the second round and you were wetting the towels and refilling the water bottles again when a ball suddenly hit your leg. What? Why was a ball rolling here?

Picking up the ball, you looked around for the source. 

"Oh! Sorry about that, we accidentally hit it over here." a voice sounded from behind you. Turning around, it was one of the players from the opposing team, a grin on his face. 

"Oh, that's okay. Here." you stretched out your arm to hand the ball back to him.

He reached out, but instead of grabbing the ball, he grabbed your wrist. Bringing it to his nose and sniffing it. 

"Hmm, you an omega? Cause you smell hella good, baby." he laughed as you tried to free your wrist, dropping the ball in the process. 

"Please let go. I don't like this." you squeaked out, wrist starting to hurt with how hard he was grasping it. He chuckled again, opening his mouth to say something when a hand reached out from behind you and slapped his hand off your wrist. He recoiled back, hissing at the pain. 

***warning for some inappropriate language***

"What the fuck do you think you're doing. Get away from her, you piece of shit." you turned around, it was Tendou. His eyes were dark and his voice was bordering on a growl, scaring you slightly. 

He pulled you back behind him and continued glaring at the alpha from the other team. By now, the rest of the Shiratorizawa team had noticed what was happening, not saying anything. 

"Hey, hey, no need to get confrontational here. I was just telling this pretty little omega what I thought about her." the alpha smirked, seemingly pleased with the reaction. 

"Well, fucking stop that. Don't touch her, don't even look at her." Tendou growled back. 

"What, it's not like she's claimed. You've got no reason to stop me."

"I'm her boyfriend. Now go back to wherever you came from and don't ever approach her again, you piece of shit."

"Hm. Come to me if you want a real alpha, cutie pie." he called out as he sauntered his way back to his team, the whole team was snickering. An air of tension covered the court as both sides tried to intimidate the other, flooding the air with alpha pheromones. You and Tendou moved back to where the team was, and Shirabu and Semi immediately went to your side, asking you if anything happened.

"Are you okay, (l/n)-chan? He didn't try to pull anything did he?" Semi worriedly asked you, rubbing circles into your back for comfort. 

Shirabu's eyes narrowed, "We should've known something like this would happen. He better not get in within 10 feet of you or I'm gonna go ballistic." The rest of the team nodded in agreement, their fighting spirit renewed now. 

A whistle blew as a sign of the second set starting, and the boys stepped back onto the court, ready to kick some ass.


	7. Mi-ra-cle Boi is here to save the day!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, Manager-chan runs into some trouble...but Tendou is here to save her!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like my works, please leave a comment or kudos! It really motivates me to write more :)

Once the second set started, Shiratorizawa was unstoppable. They let loose and fought with all their power, not sparing their opponents any mercy. Nishihara's team knew this would happen, but they still felt overwhelmed at the power showcased in front of them. Were these guys really high schoolers? They felt more like college level athletes. 

In the middle of the game, the score was 8-18, and Nishihara's coach finally had enough and called a time out. The coach knew they weren't going to win, but he still felt the need to give the boys a break. Both sides were sweating profusely, but it was clear which side was stronger. Shiratorizawa had plenty of experience against skilled teams, this wasn't about to stop them. 

You welcomed the boys with fresh, cool, water and nicely chilled towels, keeping their motivation to protect you high. You could tell they were tired, but they were still far from done.

***again, there's a bit of not-very-nice things said from here on out, so if you are uncomfortable with harassment, please skip this chapter***

On the court again, it was Tendou's turn to be in the front. He still had three rotations before heading to the back, which made him happy. He had plenty of time to completely shut down his opponent's attacks. He would make them regret what they said to you, what they did to you. He was still gloating and wondering what he should do to make them the most frustrated when he and the team heard a conversation that infuriated them. 

"Hey, don't you think there's some kind of smell in the air? It smells weird." one of the players said.

"Ha! This is the scent of an omega in pre-heat! I wonder who it is..." another replied, smirking as if he knew something.

Tendou and the others watched as the opposing team turned their lecherous views towards you, picking up a stray water bottle that had fallen to the ground. At that moment, your shorts happened to ride up a bit more, exposing just a little bit more of thigh. The jacket you were wearing was too big for you, as you had borrowed Tendou's, which made you seem even cuter as you rolled up the sleeves, which normally covered half of your hands. 

"I bet she's a feisty one, huh? Remember what she said when I grabbed her just now? Imagine the sounds the little omega would make..." the player who had talked to you just now remarked. 

The rest of the team laughed, which made the players from Shiratorizawa's faces twist in fury. How dare they say things like this!

They took it one step further, purposefully raising his voice so you could hear, the boy loudly said, "What I'd give to screw that little cutie in her heat? What do y'all think? The things she could do with her little mouth...we can even share her if we want..." he continued smirking as the other players laughed at his statement. 

"I mean, it's her fault for giving out such a delicious scent, isn't it?" he said, sending out waves of pressure your way. Your face turned red as you felt your hands tremble. All in all, he was an alpha, and you felt the pressure to submit. He smiled as he saw your legs shaking slightly. 

He opened his mouth to say more and you braced yourself, but instead, you heard someone say, "You better shut your fucking mouth right now, you piece of shit, or I am going to shut it for you..."

Tendou was furious. He saw you shake and it reminded him of that day. He didn't ever want to see you like this ever again. He resisted the urge to grab this dude's shirt right through the net and beat him up right now. That would have to wait till after this game. 

Right as the whistle started, the team felt blind anger as they destroyed the opposing team, earning a final score of 10-25. Tendou in particular, blocked every single spike of the boy who had spoken earlier without fail, his eyes cold and dark. 

After they won and did the obligatory sportsmanship thing, you gathered around with the team. Right at that moment, the opposing team walked past, and the boy suddenly whistled at you, making your shoulders jump up and earning snickers from his peers. He saw the reaction he got and smiled in your direction with narrowed eyes, shit-eating grin on his face, sending shivers down your spine. 

Seeing what happened, Tendou immediately took you into his arms, and you instantly relaxed into his embrace. You smiled at his expression of comfort. When you were with Tendou, it felt like nothing in the world could hurt you, enveloped in his pine wood and berry scent. Shirabu and the others seemed relieved that you didn't seem to be too affected by it. In their heads, they were already plotting on how to destroy the opposite team, but none of them said anything. 

"(l/n)-chan, are you alright?" you heard Goshiki ask, concern laced in the question. 

"We're gonna beat their asses if we see them again..." Shirabu added, making you laugh softly. 

"They better watch themselves." Semi and Reon were discussing the other team.

Even the normally quiet Ushijima added a word, "That was the most distasteful thing I've ever seen. I hope you don't feel affected by their words, (l/n)-san."

You started giggling at this. The normally "cool" boys were all worried for you. You were so glad you joined the volleyball club, or you would not have had the chance to become friends with some of the sweetest people you ever knew. People at school had no idea what they were really like. 

"Okay! Let's just forget about that kind of stuff and begin stretching! I can't have my favorite people be waking up with sore muscles tomorrow, can I?" you took the chance to loudly exclaim. 

"Aww...Manager-channn, are we really your favorite people? I feel kind of under-appreciated here yanno...I am your-mph!" Tendou was interrupted by you covering his mouth in embarrassment. It seemed amazing to you how it felt like he had no shame about this sort of stuff. 

"Come on! Just start stretching! I still have stuff to tidy up before we head back to school." you smiled as you turned around and started packing up.

\-----------------------------------

Curse your poor sense of direction. 

Of all times, it had to be now. 

You had told to team you were going to the bathroom, and they wanted to have someone come with you, but you insisted it was pretty close so it would be fine. 

You were now currently lost. Somehow you made your way to a place where there weren't any signs. You sighed as you now wished you had actually taken someone with you. You could've asked Kiyoko or Yachi too, but apparently their team had made it through so they went to celebrate. You didn't want to disrupt them, so you just waved them goodbye and went on your way. Now, you were wandering around the halls, hoping to have a stroke of luck and manage to find the hall by yourself. 

Rounding a corner, you immediately really regretted not having brought someone with you. 

It was the Nishihara team. 

As you tried to back away slowly and quietly, your foot caught on the wall and you tripped, falling on the floor. The boys turned around to see you on the floor and you shivered when you saw their expressions. It felt like you were prey being chased. Quickly getting up, you turned to run away but before you even got a few steps away, an overwhelming amount of pheromones was directed straight towards you. 

You couldn't take the pressure and submit to it, falling on the floor with shaky legs and trembling hands. You hugged yourself, trying to keep a straight mind, your brain currently overloading with the words, "Listen to the alpha. Submit to the alpha. Don't move."

One boy walked over and yanked you up, pulling on your arm. Pushing you to the wall, he pinned both wrists with one hand and lifted your chin with the other, smirking. Although the boys weren't as tall as the Shiratorizawa team, they still towered over you, surrounding you. Feeling tears well up in your eyes, you whimpered.

"What do we have here? Hello, little omega-chan...were you trying to run away?" 

At this moment, Tendou smelled the scent of fear and panic wafting over. He instantly jumped up, alerting all his teammates.

"Tendou, what is the ma-"

"There's no time to explain. Something's wrong. I smell fear and panic. Follow me. Now."

The rest of the team immediately jumped up and followed Tendou, afraid because they had never seen Tendou so panicked before. Even when something scared him, he usually covered it up with jokes and sarcasm. He had never reacted like this before.

Tendou could feel his heartbeat roaring in his ears. He chanted in his mind, "(y/n), please be okay. Please let me make it in time. Please."

Simultaneously, your heart rate soared as you panicked, closing your eyes and trying to turn your head away. 

The alpha smiled and held your head in place, leaning down to sniff at your neck, "Hmm...I was right, you do smell delectable...just like a sweet dessert."

Adrenaline flowing through your veins, you suddenly opened your eyes and kicked, but it was useless. Another alpha grabbed your foot and held your leg down, fingers digging into your thigh.

"Hey guys, I think this little omega needs to be taught a lesson. Why's she resisting?" he laughed as the someone else grabbed your other leg, making you completely unable to move. You let out a whine, feeling panic in your whole body.

"Yes...you'll be calling out more than now by the time we're done with you. I meant what I said on the court you know..." the alpha smiled as he ripped open your jacket, exposing the flimsy shirt you had underneath.

You felt tears run down you face as you felt the alphas stare along your body, raking over every inch of it they could. 

You screamed out, "Stop! Please! Let me go! I-" you felt someone put a hand over your mouth.

"Now, we can't have anyone noticing this, can we? If you know what's good for you, you better keep your mouth shut, okay, little omega?" the leader whispered into your ear. You felt something hard poke you in the thigh, and immediately you shut your eyes in terror. 

"That's better. Now, be a good girl..." the alpha pinning your wrists reached his other hand out towards your chest.

With your last willpower, you whispered, "Satori...please...save me..." and everything went black.

The alpha was ripped off of you. 

Tendou saw red. The first thing he saw as he turned the corner was his (y/n), pinned to the wall. Their hands were all over her, stopping her from moving. The jacket she borrowed from him was ripped open, exposing more of her body to their lustful eyes. Tears were streaming down her face as that disgusting alpha leaned in to grab her. 

He got over there in two long strides and punched the alpha right on the nose with all his power. The alpha flew two meters away, sprawled on the ground. You fell forward, body hitting the ground. Tendou panicked, and held you in his embrace. The sounds of his teammates beating up the rest of the them fell deaf to his ears. All he could see was your body, lying motionless in his arms. He cursed himself for not getting here sooner. 

Even by the time they had finished dealing with the situation, you still hadn't woken up. The doctor at the stadium just said you were in shock and overwhelmed, but that your body was fine. You were going to wake up in a couple of hours. Tendou carefully carried you to the bus, the rest of the team trailing behind with grim looks on their faces. They never imagined that this would happen. The mood on the bus ride back was somber. 

"Shit! If only we had insisted...we all knew she was bad with directions." Shirabu muttered to himself, chewing on his nails. 

"This is unforgivable. How could they...to such a small...unforgivable..." Ushijima could only repeat the same sentence over and over.

Goshiki said nothing, which was way more unsettling than usual, as he was the one who never stopped talking. He thought about what you must've felt. Alone, surrounded by those repulsive alphas. He failed to protect you, even though he had promised. 

Semi simply buried his face in his hands. As an omega, to have to go through something like that, it could be traumatising. Due to his physique and personality, no alphas had tried something like that on him before, but imagining you, a ray of sunshine and warmth in their daily lives, going through something like that...he couldn't think about what it would be like. 

Tendou stared at your face, still and quiet on his shoulder. No one could tell what he was thinking, how he was feeling.

The ride back was quiet.


	8. Comfort Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hard stuff is over...all that's left is...overcoming it.

The team had decided it was best to leave you with only Tendou for the time being. They didn't know how you would react when you got up. It was dead silent as the team tidied up the items, putting them away neatly in the gym. They went off the checklist you had made, written with so much care and preparation. It made them so frustrated they couldn't do anything for you right now. 

Tendou carried you to his house, straight to his room. He then checked you were sleeping and headed downstairs, where the families were gathered. 

"Oh my goodness...my little girl!" your mother and his mother were in tears, sobbing and shaking. 

"How would they..." your father was choked up, Tendou's father placed a hand on his shoulder, silently offering the little bit of comfort he could give. Satoru's face was livid, eyes filled with disbelief. He knew these kinds of things happened, but he never imagined it would...

Tendou stood there, head hung low. He felt the guilt stab at his heart again and again, screaming at him for not getting there sooner. He had failed. Failed to protect you. Failed as your teammate. Failed as your friend. Failed as your...mate. He didn't deserve you. He never thought he would find someone like you, and now, he had placed that person in danger, almost lost her.

After dealing with the situation downstairs, he headed up. Sitting by the bedside, he waited. He waited for you to wake up, gaze never leaving your face once. 

\------------------------------

You woke up once again, facing an unfamiliar ceiling...wait no, this wasn't unfamiliar...this was Tendou's room.

Wait! What happened? The last thing you remember was- no, let's not think about that. You blinked the sleep out of your eyes as you tried to sit up. Feeling a presence next to you, you turned your head and was faced with...Tendou, sitting there motionlessly, blank expression on his face. He had been holding your hand and refused to let go. 

"S-S-Satori-senpai? W-what happened? All I recall is..." you croaked out, voice hoarse from waking up. 

"Back then I-I tried to- but I couldn't- I swear, it-" stumbling over your words, you started rambling, the numb feeling in your brain starting to fade. Tears slid down your cheeks as you once again felt helpless, panicking at the loss of information. 

"(y/n), you're alright. Relax." you heard his voice, soothing your emotions.

"You're not alone. I'm here. There's nothing to be afraid of. As long as I'm here, nothing will ever hurt you again." he took your trembling body into his arms, enveloping you in his scent. Tensing muscles relaxed at the smell of pine wood and berries. Grasping his shirt, you could no longer hold back and started sobbing, body convulsing with every sob coming out. Tendou started rubbing circles into your back, calming you with his steady heartbeat and stroking your hair. 

By the time you were finished sobbing, your body was exhausted. You sat between Tendou's legs as he leaned against the wall, cradling you in his arms. 

"I"m so sorry (y/n), I was a bit late, wasn't I...I don't deserve you, I'm not good enough to be your mate. I understand if you want to leave me, so-"

"Satori-senpai, please don't. I don't know what I would be like right now if it wasn't for you. Don't put yourself down for something that isn't your fault."

He smiled, somehow he knew that this was what you were going to say, you never put him down, never hurt him. You continued scolding him with affection and care in your tone, making the both of you happier. 

The both of you continued talking throughout the night about random topics, ranging to which team they were playing next to what snack you were going to make next time. When exhaustion finally took over the both of you, Tendou lay down and you both cuddled on the bed. You felt safe in his warmth, falling asleep with a gentle smile on your face. Tendou looked down before smiling, you always brought him out of his darkest moments with just a few words, nothing, no one, could ever replace you. Thinking happy thoughts, he fell asleep as well, dreaming good dreams only. 

The next morning, you finally processed what had happened. Heading downstairs, you found your mother sleeping on the couch, forehead creased in worry. Gently waking her and your father, your parents hugged you without letting go for 10 minutes, expressing their worry for you. Smiling, you found yourself grateful for the wonderful parents you had. Not wanting to worry the team, you set off for school with Tendou. 

The usual sound of volleyballs hitting the floor comforted you as you and Tendou approached the gym. 

"Are you sure you're up for this?" he asked carefully, not wanting you to push yourself. 

"I"m fine," you shook your head, "I'm not going to let something like that stop me from being the best manager I can." He chuckled at that, noting just how strong and resilient you were. He had worried that this may have given you lasting trauma, but you seemed stronger than ever. 

In your mind, you still felt fear at times, but you didn't want to give the alphas the satisfaction of scaring you. Taking a deep breath, you stepped inside the gym and gave a greeting with the most energy you could muster.

"Good morning!"

All eyes turned to you. You smiled softly and went to the benches to put down your stuff. Instantly, the team gathered around you.

"(l/n)-san, are you sure you should be up and about? You must not push yourself."

"We're so sorry we were late, I can't believe they would do something like that..."

"Do you need anything? Whatever you need to do today, we can do for you, just say the word."

Laughing lightly, you felt thankful for the team, they cared for you so much.

"Guys, it's ok. I can do it. I don't want to give them the satisfaction of having scared me. If anything, I'm more motivated now than ever."

The team looked at Tendou. "What can I say guys? I think I'm the best comforter that has ever existed in the world!" he stated jokingly.

You cleared your throat, and all attention was on you again, "Ahem...Team, I'm super proud of you guys and am probably the luckiest manager in the world to be in charge of this team. If you want to help, then do your best to practice and win the tournament! Do I have your agreement?"

Grinning, the whole team shouted, "Yes!" more motivated than ever.

\--------------------------------

_Two years later_

"(y/n), we finally graduated! What are you gonna do to celebrate? We were thinking we might invite our entire class to karaoke!" your friend excitedly asked. 

"Hmm...I'm not sure I can make it, I'm having a reunion with the volleyball team members from when I was a first year." you answered, shaking your head slightly.

"Aw...that's too bad! You better show up to our reunions though, or you'll regret it!" she replied once more.

Laughing, you waved goodbye, heading over to Goshiki. 

"Tomu-kun! You ready to go? I don't wanna be late!" you called.

"(y/n)-chan, I'm almost ready! Just wait for me outside the school gates." Goshiki responded.

You nodded, and head to the entrance, where a certain red-haired alpha was waiting for you. 

"Hey, (y/n)-chan. I came to pick you guys up! I can't believe it, finally graduating, huh...it seems just like yesterday that you were just a wee little girl, becoming our trial manager..." Tendou called out to you, making you feel slightly embarrassed because it was in front of literally everyone. 

"Satori-senpai! Shh! You're embarrassing me!"

"Hmm? This is embarrassing? Well, you certainly made the wrong decision of choosing the same university as me, because it's gonna be 10x worse over there!"

You groaned, wanting Goshiki to come faster, and thankfully he did. 

Tendou had decided to go to a uni in Tokyo. You were surprised when he told you, as that uni was your dream school as well. In order to make it, you studied twice as hard and finally made it in. You were going to move in with Tendou in an apartment not far from the school as well. 

Smiling, you took his hand and started dragging him along the road outside, "Come on, senpai! Let's go! We don't want the others to be waiting!"

Tendou grinned back and squeezed your hand, "Anything you want, my dear (y/n)-chan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like my works please leave a comment or kudos! I'd love to receive your feedback hehe


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